Triple valve



i (No Model.; 2 sheets-sheen 2.

W. WHITACRE.

TRIPLE VALVE.

No. 542,509. Patented July 9, 1895.

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WILLIAM O. WHITAORE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGN OR TO THE VVHITAOREl AIR-BRAKE COMPANY, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

TRIPLEl VALVE.

Y SPECIFICATION `forming part oi' Letters Patent N o. 542,509, dated July 9, 1895.

Application iiled March 8 1894. Serial No. 502.802. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that4 I, WILLIAM C. WHITACRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain n ew and useful Improvement in Triple' Valves, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, form l ing part of this specification, whereinlike letro ters of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the two valves,'and Figs. 4 to 7 are longi- :5 tudinal sectional views showing thevalve in different positions.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in triple valves for pneumaticbrake systems,.and is designed to control the zo admission of air from the train-pipe to the aux` iliary reservoir and to control the admission of air from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake cylinder and the exhaust of the brake-cylinder, as is common.

z 5 The special features of improvement in this improved form of triple valve reside in the peculiar formation and. operation of a rotary valve, which controls the passage of the air from the train-pipe to the auxiliary reser- 3o Voir, which passage is closed when communication is opened between the auxiliary reser- Voir and the brake-cylinder and opened when the air in the brakecylinder is exhausted, said rotary valve being operated toaccomplish this by Ya master-valve, which mastervalve is operated by the pressure in the trainpipe to open communication between the train-pipe and the `auxiliary reservoir, said master-Valve being also operated by the press- 4o ure in the auxiliary reservoir to open communication between the auxiliary reservoir and brake-cylinder when the pressure in the trainp'ipe is reduced, in providing means for causing the master-'valve to move the rotary valve to a lap position when the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir is reducedby the same passing into the brake-cylinder, which means is overcome, upon the furtherreductionof air in the train-pipe, to such an extent as to 5o permit the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir to actuate the master-valve to move the ro- `the reception of a rotary valve.

tary valve to a position in which the air in Abored to two different diameters and formed 6o with a chamber and seat in its upper end for The lower end of the casing is closed by a cap B, which has a couplingformed thereon for connection with the train-pipe O, which train-pipe, as

shown, opens to the larger bore of the casing beneath the master-valve. Oap D closes the chamber in which the rotary valve is located.

`Pipe E.connects the rotary valve-chamber 'l with the auxiliary reservoir. Pipe F connects 7.o jthe port F', located beneath the rotary valve,

with the brake-cylinder. The casing is formed with ports a, leading from the space beneath the master-valve to a point in the seat'of the rotary Valve. y 75 G indicates the master-valve, formed with the winged stem extending upward into 'the `smaller bore of the casing, the'valve proper operating in the larger bore. The stem of this master-valve is cored out to several di- 8o ameters to receive a rod II, which rod is pro- -Vided with a flange h, upon which is seated a spring I confined between the iiange and the shoulder formed in the stein. The tendency of this spring operating between the shoulder inv the valve-stem and the iiange on the rod is to always force the rod outwardly, and, should the rod contact with the cap B, as Shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the tendency ofthe rod and spring is to return the master-valve 9o to a position as shown in Fig. G. The cap J restrains the outward movement of the rod. Attached tothe u pperendof the master-valve is a link K, which is also connected to the rotary valve L. By preference this link is attached in a bifurcation formed in one side of the rotary valve, so as to leave the circularily of its seat unbroken, thus permitting the wear to be even and make a more perfect seat. The rotary valveL is, as shown in Fig. 2, seated roo on one side of the casing only, so as to permit a passage through the port Nfrom port' a into the auxiliary reservoir and from the auxiliary reservoir through port N and port f or F into the brake-cylinder. The pressure is thus exerted on one side of the valve only and forces the valve to a close seat.

M indicates a stem. received in the casing A and cap D, upon which stem is mounted rotary valve L.

N indicates a cross-port extending through the valve L, and O indicates the capping, groove, or cross-connection formed in its under side, which connects the port F (leading from the brake-cylinder) with exhaust-port P, formed in casing A and opening to the exterior.

The operation is as follows: Assuming that pressure is admitted into the large bore ofthe casing through the train-pipe, the mastervalve will be forced up, unclosing port aand revolving the rotary valve, so that portN will register therewith, thus establishing a communication between the train-pipe and the auxiliary reservoir. This I term the running position and is illustrated in Fig. 4. In this position the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir is raised to equalize that in the trainpipe. Should the pressure in the train-pipe be slightly reduced in order to apply the brakes gently or cause the train to come to a service stop, the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir being in excess of that in the trainpipe and not finding a ready and quick escape back'through the ports N and a will force the.

master-valve downwardly and revolve the ro'- lary valve, so as to close port a and register port N with an advanced portf, opening into the brake-cylinder port F. This will open communication between the auxiliary reservoir and brake-cylinder through ports N, f, and F. Port fis a small port located in the valve-seat and leading into port F', the object of which port f being to enable a restricted communication between the auxiliary reservoir and the brake-cylinder when the rotary valve is moved, as above described, without allowing the air to rush from the auxiliary reservoir into the brake-cylinder, as would be the case if portN registered with the large opening of port F. As the pressure passes from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder it is gradually reduced in the former, and the master-valve is not burdened with so much downward pressure as when the charging of the brake-cylinder iirst began. This release of downward pressure on the master-valve permits spring I to assert itself and raise the master-valve from the position shown in Fie'. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6. This movement to the position shown in Fig. 6 causes the rotary valve to so assume aposition as to close all ports leading -to or from the trainpipe, auxiliary reservoir, or brake-cylinder. This I term the lap position, and in this position the valves are held or supported by rod H and spring I. f

To apply the brakes quickly and with force to bring the train to an emergency or full stop, the pressure is still further reduced or exhausted from the train-pipe, which will permit the master-valve to be forced down by the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir, compressing spring I and forcing rod I-I upward into the stem until the mastervalve reaches the limit of its downward movement. This downward movement of the master-valve rotates the rotary valve until the port N reaches the port F', which opens full communication between the auxiliary reservoirandbrake-cylinder. Thispositionisillustrated in Fig. 7, and will be so maintained until pressure is again admitted to thetrainpipe in excess of the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir and brake-cylinder, when such excess pressure in the train-pipe will raise the master-valve and rotate the rotary valve until port N registers with port a and communication is established between the train-pipe and auxiliary reservoir, recharging the latter for another operation, and capping or groove O connects port F with exhaust-port P, leading to the exterior, which will exhaust the brakecylinder. This position is illustrated in Fig. 4.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement ot' the several parts of my valve can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described withoutin the least departing from the nature and principle ot' my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a triple-valve, the combination witl -the casing formed with two different diameters, and having a seat formed in its upper end, the train pipe leading into the larger bore at the lower end, the pipe connecting the valve with the auxiliary' reservoir, leading into and from the upper end of the casing at the top of the smaller bore, a port leading from the valve seat to the brake cylinder, of a master-valve, operating in the bores of the casing between the train-pipe and auxiliary vreservoir pipe openings, a rotary valve seated in the upper end of the casing and adapted to be operated by the movement of the master-valve, and suitable ports and cross-connections in said rotary valve for controlling the passage of air through the casing into the auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder, and the exhaust of the brakev cylinder, substantially as described.

2. In a triple valve the combination with the casing, of a master-valve located therein, a spring-controlled rod H which projects from the lower end of the master-valve, a link K which is connected to the upper end of the master-Valve, and a rotary valve L located in the upper part of the casing and to which the upper end of link K is connected, said rotary valve being formed with a cross port N and capping groove O which co-operate with ports auf, F', and P in the casing, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a triple-valve, the combination with ICC TIO

IIC

IIS

'substantially as described.

4. In a triple-valve, the combination with the casing, of a master valve located therein, a rotary valve formed with a bifurcation mounted in the casing and seated on one side only thereof, and a link connection between the master-valve and the bifurcation in the rotary valve, substantially as described.

5. In a triple valve, the combination with the casing, of a master-valve located therein, a rota-ry valve having a link connectionwith, and adapted to be operated by, the mastervalve, said master-valve being chambered to receive a' rod H having formed thereon a iange h, spring I operating between the flange h and `a shoulder in the valve, and a confining cap J, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 3d day of March, 1894. Y

. WILLIAM C. WIIITACRE.

Witnesses:

F. R. GORNWALL, HUGH K. WAGNER. 

